Frequently Asked Questions

﻿Barcode Basics

1. What is a barcode?A barcode is a unique numbered code assigned to a specific product type that is registered onto the inventory system of retailers – assisting with easily tracking sales and recording product information onto customers’ till slips. The black and white lines of a barcode are simply the representational image of the number sequence. The images are scanned at the point of sale. ​2. How many barcode numbers will I be needing?Each product variation needs its own unique barcode number – this includes colour, size, flavour, etc. For example, if you have manufactured blue and green t-shirts which each come in sizes small, medium and large, you will be needing six separate barcode numbers to represent each unique product type.

3. Will my barcode be scannable and accepted anywhere?As long as your barcodes are printed at a high-enough resolution, they will be scannable. With regards to retailer acceptance, we can confirm that our codes are currently accepted in the vast majority of retailers in South Africa, and we receive very few returns to this effect. Please always remember, though, that we can never guarantee acceptance in any one store, now or in the future, as we cannot control which specific bar-coding system they choose to use. While issues relating to acceptance are rare, we do request that our customers check with their retailers in advance to ensure that all is OK before printing.

For Spar, we recommend the UPC version of the codes we supply, as their system prefers these.For Food Lovers Market, please contact our team in advance, as we will need to issue you with codes specific to that store.For PNP, please note that some stores require Gs1 membership (this will need to be done separately, with separate codes issued).

4. How do I open the barcode package you have sent me?We send you your barcode pack as a zipped file, and most computers are able to open them with a software called WinZip. If however you do not have WinZip automatically installed, we recommend following this link to easily download and install a free and trusted programme, 7-zip. Once installed, you should be able to open your barcode package.

UPC and EAN

1. What is the difference between a UPC and EAN barcode?UPC (Universal Product Code) is a 12-digit barcode, most commonly used in Canada and the United States. EAN (European Article Number) is a 13-digit barcode, used in the rest of the world’s countries. We supply you with both versions in your order so that you can select which works best in terms of what country you’re selling your product in as well as which barcode your retailer prefers.

2. Would it be better to purchase a UPC or EAN barcode for my products?To save you the hassle, we provide you with both the UPC and EAN formats of the numbers when purchasing retail barcodes. You will then need to check with your intended retailers about which format they would prefer you to use on your products.

Company policies

1. Am I required to pay annual renewal fees for my barcodes? No. When purchasing through Buy Barcodes, there are no renewal fees! Our price is a once-off price. We send you your retail barcodes within one hour on day-time orders. And once purchased, the barcode numbers belong to you and your company for life. Guaranteed.

2. What is your return policy?We must ensure that none of our barcodes are reused or duplicated and due to this, cannot accept returns. This is how we can guarantee that any barcodes purchased from us will be completely unique to you.

Printing

1. Can I change the size of my barcodes?Yes, you can change the size of your barcodes to fit your product packaging design. However, you must stay within the approved resolution standards. Use it as a guideline for making size changes to your barcode images and your barcode will remain scannable. We send you your barcode images at the optimal size, ready for design. And we therefore cannot accept responsibility for barcodes which have been resized outside of the recommended standards and are no longer scannable.

2. I have already designed and printed my product packaging, but without a barcode/with the incorrect barcode. What can I do?This is not something to worry about. We can supply you with barcode labels or stickers which you can then paste onto your product packaging or over your incorrect barcode. We can deliver the labels to anywhere in South Africa; however the price varies depending on the size of your order and your location. View this page for more information about labels.

3. Am I allowed to print my barcodes in colour?Yes you are allowed to print your barcodes in colour. Although there must be a high contrast between the bar colour and the background colour in order for the barcode image to remain scannable.

4. Can I request a sample barcode to check if the barcodes can be scanned at my intended retailers?Of course. Please follow the link to download our sample barcode pack in a convenient zipped file.

Membership

1. Are my codes registered GTIN's?Yes, all our codes are registered.

2. Will me or my company be a member of Gs1, or show up on their database?No, this is not required for the vast majority of retailers around the world. While all our codes are Gs1-registered, they are registered under the original US-suppliers.

FOR ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR SALES TEAM. THEY ARE STANDING BY TO TAKE YOUR CALL, AND ARE HAPPY TO ASSIST YOU WITH ANY BARCODING PROBLEMS YOU MAY HAVE. WE WISH YOU A PLEASANT BARCODING EXPERIENCE, FROM THE BUYBARCODES TEAM.